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Saturday, June 24, 2017

It's been a long time since I've written a tag post. Okay, let me rephrase it. It's been a long time since anybody tagged me. Thanks to Shantala who tagged me for this interesting tag post called 'Anything But Books Tag'.

You have to answer some interesting questions that are not related to books. So, here it goes:

Name a cartoon(s) that you love.

I used to watch Tom and Jerry. Now, I watch whatever my 4yo
likes (However, now he has upgraded his choice to 'regional' News channels, I
wonder why). However, I like watching Max and Ruby, Motu Patlu and Peppa Pig.

What is your favorite song right now?

My current favourites are:

‘Channa Mereya’ (I can't get enough of it. I love Arijit Singh’s singing right from the Fame Gurukul days)

My second book (Working on the first draft) and weight loss (Okay, it seems to be a never ending project but this time I’m serious). Working on some
easy, small fitness goals.

Tell us something you think about often (maybe while staring
out of windows).

I have an always occupied mind. I can’t recall when I am not
thinking anything. Maybe, when I am engrossed in an interesting book?). I still think about my first book. About writing. Ephemeral ideas and 'I wish, what if' thoughts make my mind a mishmash or if I can say, a Farrago :).

At this point of time, it’s mostly about my second book.
Scenes, dialogues, situations…

Give us something that’s your favorite, but make it
something oddly specific, not like your favorite food, but like your favorite
food when you’ve been studying for hours and forgot to eat. Or, you know,
something like that.

Studying for hours and forgot to eat? Well, it hasn’t
happened. In fact, I used to keep several packets of biscuits and cakes while
studying. But, my attention hovered around those packets and I couldn't focus until I finished them off!

Actually, I didn’t get this question. Still answering. I am fond, extremely fond of anything that's sweet or made from milk.

That’s all from my side. I am tagging Kanchana,Namrata, Gayatri,Preethi,Harshita,Sakshi, Arti, Jyoti.Consider yourself tagged if you are reading this post. It's a fun tag and you would like to do it, won't you? Please leave your links if you decide to do it. Would love to hear your answers.

The author says the incidents are inspired by true events, and he has visited Kashmir and met people to know the culture, lifestyle and their problems. It shows. The book seems well researched.

The Tree With A Thousand Apples is a poignant, heartbreaking story of three childhood friends - Deewan Bhat, Safeena Malik and Bilal Ahanagar, living in Kashmir - their families so close - at the time of insurgency.

'For us, Deewan bhai, whatever it takes,' says Bilal.

As the conditions in Kashmir worsen, Deewan and his family have to leave Kashmir for the sake of a safe life while Safeena whose mother becomes a 'collateral damage', and Bilal are left with no other option but to learn to live in the dark battlefield that the paradise, Kashmir has become.

After 20 years, Destiny brings them together and they try to fix things in their own possible ways. And then one day, a *letter* - a dangerous letter - comes that brings sea changes in the circumstances and eventually their lives.

So, what happens? What this letter is all about? How their lives transform? What about their friendship? What about the brewing love? You will have to read the book to find these answers. Finding these answers would be a moving journey, I can say that.

The author has an interesting writing style. The language is beautiful and clean, narration quite smooth. The life of Kashmir is very well described. The atmosphere of insurgency, every aspect and impact, is captured well. The story is peppered with regional language but it has a helpful footnotes (plus a glossary).

Here are some thought-provoking quotes :

'You brought your Indian Identity Card? It proves that you are an Indian.''Who else am I?''Why do you worry, the curfew is over.''You foolish children! Curfew is never over.'

'It was too ambitious to think ahead. It was too luxurious
to be alive.'

However, in order to capture the essence of Kashmir and rage of insurgency, the author has missed the protagonists' personal feeling (and its development) for each other. Also, the *letter* (I mentioned above) confused me. I wondered (and wanted to know) what caused that sudden provocation.

But over all, it was a beautiful, thought-provoking and engrossing read. Very well written. Recommended to any book lover, no matter what your preferred genres are.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

‘I am not a very good writer, but I am an excellent
rewriter.’ – James A. Michener

For a writer, I believe, this is a very good quality.

Writing is all about re-writing and editing, and careful
editing is the essence of writing. No matter how beautiful your writing is, it
loses its charm if it has silly errors in it. Also, good editing is not just
for published books. It should be practiced even before submitting your
manuscript to the editors. It enhances your chances to get noticed.

It’s true that hiring a professional editor is always a better idea because it’s
a little difficult to spot your own mistakes and get merciless towards
something that you simply adore.

But, self editing is not that difficult. Also, when it comes to hiring a paid editor, you may face
two problems :

1. You have to choose wisely, after thorough research
because there’s no guarantee of great results.

2. Money. When you are going for traditional publishing, you
find spending money on editing unnecessary. And, if you are going with
self/paid publishing, you consider it as extra expense.

However, in any case, your manuscript should be error-free.
Period.

So are you writing a book? Self-Editing on your mind? Read my article on Writer's Melon. I have shared some practical and effective methods. You may find these helpful. Before I start, I must tell you that these are the tips that
worked for me or something I skipped doing and regretted later.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Lord Ram refused blatantly to take Sita along when going for his 14 Years exile, but Sita was adamant, especially when she heard that Lakshman was accompanying him.

Out of reflex, she said, 'I go with you in every Ramayan, then why not in this Ramayan?'
She surprised herself. 'Every' Ramayan?

Was that a case of déjà vu, which means 'already seen' or 'been there before'?

Life is a vast cycle of occurrences. And mythically, History does repeat itself. Every moment we are living now has been lived before and it will be lived in future. Exactly the same. And, the cycle goes on. Isn't it spooky? I wonder if this is the reason of déjà vu.

It happens with me a lot. I still remember the first time (probably) I felt it in my childhood. I was sitting on the threshold of a door, my feet crossed in the corridor that stretched along and my eyes were on the sunny courtyard. And right then, my grandmother said something to me. I looked at her and she was smiling. This was the moment! I felt that it has happened before. Obviously, talking to my grandmother and her smile was not new, but that exact setting, our positions and the moment made me feel like that.

Also, while listening to any song, certain tune or lyric creates a sudden imagery, an unknown picture, place or setting in my mind, and then a flood of emotions hit me. Like I have seen that setting before. Like I had been to that place before. Like it is related to my life.

Is this anything psychological, something related to the (dis)functioning of our brain? Or something related to previous/next life? Does this happen to you? Do you think I am insane?

About Me

I am a freelance writer and author of We Will Meet Again, a contemporary romance. My works have been published in Good Housekeeping India, Child India, New Woman, Woman's Era, Alive, and a best-selling anthology @ Uff Ye Emotions 2.